Play is the highest form of research
ͲůďĞƌƚŝŶƐƚĞŝŶ
CMEC Statement on Play-­‐Based Learning
At the recent World Conference on Early Childhood Care and ĚƵĐĂƟŽŶ͕ŽƌŐĂŶŝnjĞƌƐ͕ŬĞLJŶŽƚĞƐƉĞĂŬĞƌƐ͕ƐĐŝĞŶƟƐƚƐ͕ĞdžƉĞƌƚƐ͕ĂŶĚ
ƉŽůŝƟĐĂůĮŐƵƌĞƐƵŶĚĞƌƐĐŽƌĞĚƚŚĞĞŶŽƌŵŽƵƐďĞŶĞĮƚƐŽĨĞĂƌůLJůĞĂƌŶŝŶŐ͘1 DĂŐƌĞĞƐǁŝƚŚƚŚŝƐƉŽƐŝƟŽŶĂŶĚďĞůŝĞǀĞƐƚŚĂƚƉƵƌƉŽƐĞĨƵůƉůĂLJͲ
ďĂƐĞĚĞĂƌůLJůĞĂƌŶŝŶŐƐĞƚƐƚŚĞƐƚĂŐĞĨŽƌĨƵƚƵƌĞůĞĂƌŶŝŶŐ͕ŚĞĂůƚŚ͕ĂŶĚ
ǁĞůůͲďĞŝŶŐ͘
Learning through play is supported by science.
dŚĞďĞŶĞĮƚƐŽĨƉůĂLJĂƌĞƌĞĐŽŐŶŝnjĞĚďLJƚŚĞƐĐŝĞŶƟĮĐĐŽŵŵƵŶŝƚLJ͘
dŚĞƌĞŝƐŶŽǁĞǀŝĚĞŶĐĞƚŚĂƚŶĞƵƌĂůƉĂƚŚǁĂLJƐŝŶĐŚŝůĚƌĞŶ͛ƐďƌĂŝŶƐĂƌĞ
ŝŶŇƵĞŶĐĞĚĂŶĚĂĚǀĂŶĐĞĚŝŶƚŚĞŝƌĚĞǀĞůŽƉŵĞŶƚƚŚƌŽƵŐŚĞdžƉůŽƌĂƟŽŶ͕
ƚŚŝŶŬŝŶŐƐŬŝůůƐ͕ƉƌŽďůĞŵƐŽůǀŝŶŐ͕ĂŶĚůĂŶŐƵĂŐĞĞdžƉƌĞƐƐŝŽŶƚŚĂƚŽĐĐƵƌ
ĚƵƌŝŶŐƉůĂLJ͘
ZĞƐĞĂƌĐŚĂůƐŽĚĞŵŽŶƐƚƌĂƚĞƐƚŚĂƚƉůĂLJͲďĂƐĞĚůĞĂƌŶŝŶŐůĞĂĚƐƚŽŐƌĞĂƚĞƌ
ƐŽĐŝĂů͕ĞŵŽƟŽŶĂů͕ĂŶĚĂĐĂĚĞŵŝĐƐƵĐĐĞƐƐ͘ĂƐĞĚŽŶƐƵĐŚĞǀŝĚĞŶĐĞ͕
ŵŝŶŝƐƚĞƌƐŽĨĞĚƵĐĂƟŽŶĞŶĚŽƌƐĞĂƐƵƐƚĂŝŶĂďůĞƉĞĚĂŐŽŐLJĨŽƌƚŚĞĨƵƚƵƌĞ
ƚŚĂƚĚŽĞƐŶŽƚƐĞƉĂƌĂƚĞƉůĂLJĨƌŽŵůĞĂƌŶŝŶŐďƵƚďƌŝŶŐƐƚŚĞŵƚŽŐĞƚŚĞƌƚŽ
ƉƌŽŵŽƚĞĐƌĞĂƟǀŝƚLJŝŶĨƵƚƵƌĞŐĞŶĞƌĂƟŽŶƐ͘/ŶĨĂĐƚ͕ƉůĂLJŝƐĐŽŶƐŝĚĞƌĞĚƚŽ
ďĞƐŽĞƐƐĞŶƟĂůƚŽŚĞĂůƚŚLJĚĞǀĞůŽƉŵĞŶƚƚŚĂƚƚŚĞhŶŝƚĞĚEĂƟŽŶƐŚĂƐ
ƌĞĐŽŐŶŝnjĞĚŝƚĂƐĂƐƉĞĐŝĮĐƌŝŐŚƚĨŽƌĂůůĐŚŝůĚƌĞŶ͘2 Learning through play is supported by experts. >ĞĂƌŶŝŶŐƚŚƌŽƵŐŚƉůĂLJŝƐƐƵƉƉŽƌƚĞĚďLJĞĂƌůLJLJĞĂƌƐĞdžƉĞƌƚƐ͘ >ĞǀsLJŐŽƚƐŬLJŝĚĞŶƟĮĞĚƉůĂLJĂƐƚŚĞůĞĂĚŝŶŐƐŽƵƌĐĞŽĨĚĞǀĞůŽƉŵĞŶƚ
ŝŶƚĞƌŵƐŽĨĞŵŽƟŽŶĂů͕ƐŽĐŝĂů͕ƉŚLJƐŝĐĂů͕ůĂŶŐƵĂŐĞ͕ŽƌĐŽŐŶŝƟǀĞ
ĚĞǀĞůŽƉŵĞŶƚ͘WƐLJĐŚŽůŽŐŝƐƚĂǀŝĚůŬŝŶĚƚŚĂƚ͞ƉůĂLJŝƐŶŽƚŽŶůLJŽƵƌ
ĐƌĞĂƟǀĞĚƌŝǀĞ͖ŝƚ͛ƐĂĨƵŶĚĂŵĞŶƚĂůŵŽĚĞŽĨůĞĂƌŶŝŶŐ͘͟3^ƵĐŚĞdžƉĞƌƚƐ
ƌĞĐŽŐŶŝnjĞƚŚĂƚƉůĂLJĂŶĚĂĐĂĚĞŵŝĐǁŽƌŬĂƌĞŶŽƚĚŝƐƟŶĐƚĐĂƚĞŐŽƌŝĞƐĨŽƌ
LJŽƵŶŐĐŚŝůĚƌĞŶ͗ĐƌĞĂƟŶŐ͕ĚŽŝŶŐ͕ĂŶĚůĞĂƌŶŝŶŐĂƌĞŝŶĞdžƚƌŝĐĂďůLJůŝŶŬĞĚ͘
tŚĞŶĐŚŝůĚƌĞŶĂƌĞĞŶŐĂŐĞĚŝŶƉƵƌƉŽƐĞĨƵůƉůĂLJ͕ƚŚĞLJĂƌĞĚŝƐĐŽǀĞƌŝŶŐ͕
ĐƌĞĂƟŶŐ͕ŝŵƉƌŽǀŝƐŝŶŐ͕ĂŶĚĞdžƉĂŶĚŝŶŐƚŚĞŝƌůĞĂƌŶŝŶŐ͘sŝĞǁŝŶŐĐŚŝůĚƌĞŶ
ĂƐĂĐƟǀĞƉĂƌƟĐŝƉĂŶƚƐŝŶƚŚĞŝƌŽǁŶĚĞǀĞůŽƉŵĞŶƚ ĂŶĚůĞĂƌŶŝŶŐĂůůŽǁƐ
ĞĚƵĐĂƚŽƌƐƚŽŵŽǀĞďĞLJŽŶĚƉƌĞĐŽŶĐĞŝǀĞĚĞdžƉĞĐƚĂƟŽŶƐĂďŽƵƚǁŚĂƚ
ĐŚŝůĚƌĞŶƐŚŽƵůĚďĞůĞĂƌŶŝŶŐ͕ĂŶĚĨŽĐƵƐŽŶǁŚĂƚƚŚĞLJĂƌĞůĞĂƌŶŝŶŐ͘
Learning through play is supported by children and parents. >ĞĂƌŶŝŶŐƚŚƌŽƵŐŚƉůĂLJŝƐƐƵƉƉŽƌƚĞĚďLJĐŚŝůĚƌĞŶ͘/ƚŝƐƚŚĞŝƌŶĂƚƵƌĂů
ƌĞƐƉŽŶƐĞƚŽƚŚĞĞŶǀŝƌŽŶŵĞŶƚĂƌŽƵŶĚƚŚĞŵ͘tŚĞŶĐŚŝůĚƌĞŶĂƌĞ
ŵĂŶŝƉƵůĂƟŶŐŽďũĞĐƚƐ͕ĂĐƟŶŐŽƵƚƌŽůĞƐ͕ŽƌĞdžƉĞƌŝŵĞŶƟŶŐǁŝƚŚĚŝīĞƌĞŶƚ
ŵĂƚĞƌŝĂůƐ͕ƚŚĞLJĂƌĞĞŶŐĂŐĞĚŝŶůĞĂƌŶŝŶŐƚŚƌŽƵŐŚƉůĂLJ͘WůĂLJĂůůŽǁƐƚŚĞŵ
ƚŽĂĐƟǀĞůLJĐŽŶƐƚƌƵĐƚ͕ĐŚĂůůĞŶŐĞ͕ĂŶĚĞdžƉĂŶĚƚŚĞŝƌŽǁŶƵŶĚĞƌƐƚĂŶĚŝŶŐƐ
ƚŚƌŽƵŐŚŵĂŬŝŶŐĐŽŶŶĞĐƟŽŶƐƚŽƉƌŝŽƌĞdžƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞƐ͕ƚŚĞƌĞďLJŽƉĞŶŝŶŐ
ƚŚĞĚŽŽƌƚŽŶĞǁůĞĂƌŶŝŶŐ͘/ŶƚĞŶƟŽŶĂůƉůĂLJͲďĂƐĞĚůĞĂƌŶŝŶŐĞŶĂďůĞƐ
ĐŚŝůĚƌĞŶƚŽŝŶǀĞƐƟŐĂƚĞ͕ĂƐŬƋƵĞƐƟŽŶƐ͕ƐŽůǀĞƉƌŽďůĞŵƐ͕ĂŶĚĞŶŐĂŐĞŝŶ
ĐƌŝƟĐĂůƚŚŝŶŬŝŶŐ͘WůĂLJŝƐƌĞƐƉŽŶƐŝǀĞƚŽĞĂĐŚĐŚŝůĚ͛ƐƵŶŝƋƵĞůĞĂƌŶŝŶŐƐƚLJůĞ
ĂŶĚĐĂƉŝƚĂůŝnjĞƐŽŶŚŝƐŽƌŚĞƌŝŶŶĂƚĞĐƵƌŝŽƐŝƚLJĂŶĚĐƌĞĂƟǀŝƚLJ͘WůĂLJͲďĂƐĞĚ
ůĞĂƌŶŝŶŐƐƵƉƉŽƌƚƐŐƌŽǁƚŚŝŶƚŚĞůĂŶŐƵĂŐĞĂŶĚĐƵůƚƵƌĞŽĨĐŚŝůĚƌĞŶĂŶĚ
ƚŚĞŝƌĨĂŵŝůŝĞƐ͘
When children are playing, children are learning.
'ŝǀĞŶƚŚĞĞǀŝĚĞŶĐĞ͕DďĞůŝĞǀĞƐŝŶƚŚĞŝŶƚƌŝŶƐŝĐǀĂůƵĞĂŶĚ
ŝŵƉŽƌƚĂŶĐĞŽĨƉůĂLJĂŶĚŝƚƐƌĞůĂƟŽŶƐŚŝƉƚŽůĞĂƌŶŝŶŐ͘ĚƵĐĂƚŽƌƐ
ƐŚŽƵůĚŝŶƚĞŶƟŽŶĂůůLJƉůĂŶĂŶĚĐƌĞĂƚĞĐŚĂůůĞŶŐŝŶŐ͕ĚLJŶĂŵŝĐ͕ƉůĂLJͲ
ďĂƐĞĚůĞĂƌŶŝŶŐŽƉƉŽƌƚƵŶŝƟĞƐ͘/ŶƚĞŶƟŽŶĂůƚĞĂĐŚŝŶŐŝƐƚŚĞŽƉƉŽƐŝƚĞ
ŽĨƚĞĂĐŚŝŶŐďLJƌŽƚĞŽƌĐŽŶƟŶƵŝŶŐǁŝƚŚƚƌĂĚŝƟŽŶƐƐŝŵƉůLJďĞĐĂƵƐĞ
ƚŚŝŶŐƐŚĂǀĞĂůǁĂLJƐďĞĞŶĚŽŶĞƚŚĂƚǁĂLJ͘/ŶƚĞŶƟŽŶĂůƚĞĂĐŚŝŶŐŝŶǀŽůǀĞƐ
ĞĚƵĐĂƚŽƌƐďĞŝŶŐĚĞůŝďĞƌĂƚĞĂŶĚƉƵƌƉŽƐĞĨƵůŝŶĐƌĞĂƟŶŐƉůĂLJͲďĂƐĞĚ
ůĞĂƌŶŝŶŐĞŶǀŝƌŽŶŵĞŶƚƐͶďĞĐĂƵƐĞǁŚĞŶĐŚŝůĚƌĞŶĂƌĞƉůĂLJŝŶŐ͕ĐŚŝůĚƌĞŶ
ĂƌĞůĞĂƌŶŝŶŐ͘
FROM THE EXPERTS
WůĂLJůŝĞƐĂƚƚŚĞĐŽƌĞŽĨŝŶŶŽǀĂƟŽŶĂŶĚĐƌĞĂƟǀŝƚLJ͘/ƚ
ƉƌŽǀŝĚĞƐŽƉƉŽƌƚƵŶŝƟĞƐĨŽƌůĞĂƌŶŝŶŐŝŶĂĐŽŶƚĞdžƚŝŶ
ǁŚŝĐŚĐŚŝůĚƌĞŶĂƌĞĂƚƚŚĞŝƌŵŽƐƚƌĞĐĞƉƟǀĞ͘WůĂLJĂŶĚ
ĂĐĂĚĞŵŝĐǁŽƌŬĂƌĞŶŽƚĚŝƐƟŶĐƚĐĂƚĞŐŽƌŝĞƐĨŽƌLJŽƵŶŐ
ĐŚŝůĚƌĞŶ͕ĂŶĚůĞĂƌŶŝŶŐĂŶĚĚŽŝŶŐĂƌĞĂůƐŽŝŶĞdžƚƌŝĐĂďůLJ
ůŝŶŬĞĚĨŽƌƚŚĞŵ͘
;KŶƚĂƌŝŽ&ƵůůĂLJĂƌůLJ>ĞĂƌŶŝŶŐ<ŝŶĚĞƌŐĂƌƚĞŶ
WƌŽŐƌĂŵ͕ϮϬϭϬͿ
/ŶƉůĂLJ͕ĐŚŝůĚƌĞŶƌĞƉƌĞƐĞŶƚĂŶĚƚƌĂŶƐĨŽƌŵƚŚĞǁŽƌůĚ
ĂƌŽƵŶĚƚŚĞŵ͕ƉƌŽǀŝĚŝŶŐŽƚŚĞƌĐŚŝůĚƌĞŶĂŶĚĂĚƵůƚƐǁŝƚŚ
ĂǁŝŶĚŽǁŝŶƚŽƚŚĞŝƌƚŚŽƵŐŚƚƐĂŶĚƉĞƌĐĞƉƟŽŶƐ͕ĂŶĚ
ŽŌĞŶŚĞůƉŝŶŐĂĚƵůƚƐƚŽƐĞĞƚŚĞǁŽƌůĚŝŶŶĞǁǁĂLJƐ͘
;ĂƌůLJ>ĞĂƌŶŝŶŐ&ƌĂŵĞǁŽƌŬ͕ϮϬϬϴͿ
1
DʹĂŶĂĚŝĂŶĞůĞŐĂƟŽŶZĞƉŽƌƚĨƌŽŵƚŚĞtŽƌůĚŽŶĨĞƌĞŶĐĞŽŶĂƌůLJŚŝůĚŚŽŽĚĂƌĞĂŶĚ
ĚƵĐĂƟŽŶ͕DŽƐĐŽǁ͕ZƵƐƐŝĂŶ&ĞĚĞƌĂƟŽŶ͕^ĞƉƚĞŵďĞƌϮϳʹϮϵ͕ϮϬϭϬ͘
2
͞&ĂĐƚ^ŚĞĞƚ͗^ƵŵŵĂƌLJŽĨƚŚĞZŝŐŚƚƐhŶĚĞƌƚŚĞŽŶǀĞŶƟŽŶŽŶƚŚĞZŝŐŚƚƐŽĨƚŚĞŚŝůĚ͕͟
ƌƟĐůĞϯϭ͘ZĞƚƌŝĞǀĞĚŽŶ&ĞďƌƵĂƌLJϭϭ͕ϮϬϭϬĨƌŽŵ ŚƩƉ͗ͬͬǁǁǁ͘ƵŶŝĐĞĨ͘ŽƌŐͬĐƌĐͬĮůĞƐͬZŝŐŚƚƐͺŽǀĞƌǀŝĞǁ͘ƉĚĨ
3
tŽŽĚ͕͘;ϮϬϬϰͿ͘͞ĞǀĞůŽƉŝŶŐĂƉĞĚĂŐŽŐLJŽĨƉůĂLJ͘͟/Ŷ:͘ƵůůĞŶ;Ě͘ͿĂƌůLJĐŚŝůĚŚŽŽĚ
ĞĚƵĐĂƟŽŶ͗^ŽĐŝĞƚLJĂŶĚĐƵůƚƵƌĞ͘>ŽŶĚŽŶ͕h<͗^ĂŐĞ͘
ůŵŽƐƚĂůůĐƌĞĂƟǀŝƚLJŝŶǀŽůǀĞƐƉƵƌƉŽƐĞĨƵůƉůĂLJ
ͲďƌĂŚĂŵDĂƐůŽǁ
WůĂLJĞdžƉĂŶĚƐŝŶƚĞůůŝŐĞŶĐĞ͕ƐƟŵƵůĂƚĞƐƚŚĞŝŵĂŐŝŶĂƟŽŶ͕
ĞŶĐŽƵƌĂŐĞƐĐƌĞĂƟǀĞƉƌŽďůĞŵƐŽůǀŝŶŐ͕ĂŶĚŚĞůƉƐ
ĚĞǀĞůŽƉĐŽŶĮĚĞŶĐĞ͕ƐĞůĨͲĞƐƚĞĞŵ͕ĂŶĚĂƉŽƐŝƟǀĞ
ĂƫƚƵĚĞƚŽǁĂƌĚůĞĂƌŶŝŶŐ͘
;ƌ͘&ƌĂƐĞƌDƵƐƚĂƌĚͿ